Khaberni - 13 people have died in Colombia this week due to heavy and unusual rains for this time of the year, according to what the local authorities announced last Sunday, at a time when specialized agencies warned of increasing effects of climate disturbances.
The national meteorological agency "IDEAM" reported that a cold front moving from North America towards the Caribbean coast has increased rainfall rates last month by 64% compared to the historical average.
The authorities in Nariño province, southwest of the country, stated that seven of the victims died due to a landslide that occurred overnight on Friday–Saturday following a stream flooding caused by the heavy rains, which buried several homes under large amounts of mud.
The local authorities published scenes of heavy machinery working to remove the silt, while rescue teams, assisted by trained dogs, continued to search for the missing persons.
In other regions of the country, the severe weather conditions resulted in six additional deaths, according to the national disaster management unit, which confirmed the continued state of alert in anticipation of more rains.
Colombia, with its tropical climate, is experiencing increasing climate disturbances between periods of drought and heavy rains, influenced by climate change, which increases the risks of landslides and floods, especially in mountainous and rural areas.
